This invention relates generally to systems for controlling the voltage of an electrofilter, and more particularly, to a system which increases the filter voltage in accordance with a predetermined voltage-time characteristic until voltage breakdown occurs, the filter voltage being increased by a predetermined amount after the voltage breakdown.
The degree to which an electrostatic separator filter removes particulate matter from a gas increases as the operating voltage of the filter approaches the breakdown limit. Since the breakdown limit of the filter varies during operation as a function of factors such as gas composition, dust content, and temperature, the voltage of the electrostatic separator filter must be controlled as a function of the magnitude of the breakdown voltage.
Filter voltage control systems are known wherein the operating voltage of the filter is raised through the voltage breakdown limit of the filter, as a function of time. Upon the occurrence of one or more voltage breakdowns, the operating voltage of the filter is lowered by a definite, predetermined amount below the breakdown limit, the voltage being subsequently raised again to the breakdown limit.
One known system for controlling the voltage of an electrofilter is described in German reference DAS No. 11 48 977. The system described therein utilizes a control capacitor which is charged by means of a resistor in response to the magnitude of the filter current. A continuously controllable tube is connected in shunt across the control capacitor, the controllable tube being controlled by the voltage across a further capacitor. The further capacitor is charged to a voltage which corresponds to the voltage at the time of breakdown, the further capacitor being continuously discharged by a shunt resistor. A control device on the primary side of the electrofilter controls the operating voltage of the electrofilter in response to the voltage across the control capacitor. Additional methods and corresponding circuitry for controlling the voltage of an electrofilter are described in Siemens-Zeitschrift, 1971, pages 567 to 572. The known prior art systems do not alleviate the effects of a voltage breakdown which is immediately followed by one or more further breakdowns. Such multiple voltage breakdowns are undesirable because the filtering action is inhibited during the breakdowns.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to develop a system for controlling the voltage of an electrofilter which reduces the number of secondary voltage breakdowns which follow an initial breakdown.